Team India blow away Ireland with dominant bowling display

It was a dream start for Team India as they outplayed Ireland completely on a pretty dodgy surface and logged their first two points of the T20 World Cup 2024. The bowlers carved a solid charge to lead the way while the top-order looked in complete control to rack up a comprehensive win for the Men in Blue.

Winning the toss, India opted to bowl first. After a couple of silent overs, Ireland found themselves caught neck-deep in some serious soup as Arshdeep’s double whammy sent Paul Stirling (2) and Andrew Balbirnie (5) walking back to the pavilion.

Despite the initial attempts of Lorcan Tucker (10), who joined forces with a struggling Harry Tector (4) to stabilize the Irish ship, Hardik Pandya produced an absolute jaffa to raze through the defences of the former and keep India’s feet on the pedal.

Soon after Harry Tector also joined the cavalcade of the departing Irish batters as he was bamboozled by a quicker bumper from Jasprit Bumrah while George Dockrell (3) suffered a similar fate against Mohammed Siraj, trying to hack the pace ace for a skier over deep mid-wicket.

Pandya struck again in quick succession removing Mark Adair (3) as Shivam Dube made no mistake whatsoever while Barry McCarthy came and went as he played it straight back to Axar Patel, who joined the party in the USA pretty late.

Joshua Little (14) and Gareth Delany (26) knitted some late resistance, adding 27 runs for the ninth wicket but Jasprit Bumrah’s return into the attack followed by a quick and fizzling low full toss drew the curtains on Little’s resurgence. Not long after, Delany was also on his way back as Siraj’s electric effort on the field got the job done for India, skittling out Ireland for 96.

All the Indian bowlers were right at the top of their money with Hardik Pandya leading the charge with figures of 3/27 while Bumrah and Arshdeep shared four wickets between them.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepped out to open the innings for India. The Indian captain meant business from ball one while Virat Kohli had a rare flop show as he fell for a single. Trying to take on Mark Adair, he rushed too early into the shot that sent the ball straight into the hands of Benjamin White at third man.

What followed thereafter were a few jitters hither and yon as the surface looked pretty mercurial. The ball bounced oddly on occasions leaving Rohit and Pant pretty much on their heels but with the kind of experience that these two have in their arsenal, they eventually tamed the wild and helped India to cruise towards the finishing line.

Rohit was dropped early on at second slip but he made that fumble count dearly as he hammered 52 from just 37 balls, rocking four fours and three sixes. Pant was watchful despite throwing his bat around frantically on a few occasions before eventually getting the drift and playing those exquisite shots that define the southpaw.

Sharma retired hurt after being hit on the back of his elbow and Suryakumar Yadav fell early trying to go big. Despite these couple of setbacks, Team India was firmly on their way to victory as Rishabh Pant shifted gears and finished things off with a pretty surreal hit that was a part switch hit and part reverse half-scoop which sent the ball flying out of the fence. He stayed unbeaten for 36 while Rohit was unbeaten for 52 when he retired out. Jasprit Bumrah won the Player of the Match award for his dominant bowling performance.